Bremer Canyons exploration on a beautiful autumn day in Bremer Bay as the calm weather made for perfect travelling conditions. It was all seasons in one day as our morning was sunshine and blue sky as we departed Swarbrick Road and found ourselves greeted by a refreshing rain shower. It moved past quickly and we were soon on the other side and back into the sunshine with a ruffling breeze chasing behind the clouds. Arriving in The Patch all eyes scanned carefully for signs of activity in the area as the wind began to ease and it was time to settle into search mode. During this time of the season we will start to see the Orca spreading their envelope as food becomes more sparse and the need to look wider is vital.
Orca can easily travel in excess of 100 kilometres per day if needed during their searches which can extend through the day into the night. The younger members of the family will learn these search patterns and remember them for life ensuring that the skillset of searching is passed from one generation to the next. Our first encounter was an explosion of white water as Striped Dolphins porpoised towards the Steep Point at incredible pace. Arriving with enthusiasm and excitement they continued to bow and wake ride with us happily showing off their beautiful patterns. The Stripies continued onwards as our search area increased in size and it was good to see a little bit of activity in the area. Observing the interaction between different species is always fascinating to witness and during our return back to The Patch we could see the Striped Dolphins racing away at speed and soon it was clear why, Pilot Whales were in town!
The entire Pilot Whale family along with Offshore Bottlenose Dolphins travelling with them pushed the Striped Dolphins out of the area before resuming foraging mode. It was wonderful to see newborn calves swimming alongside their mums and looking very healthy, autumn is always an exciting time of the year with the arrival of many new Pilot Whale calves. It certainly was a day of Bremer Canyons exploration as we had the opportunity to search an enormous range for the Orca of Bremer Bay. Season 2023 has provided incredible consistency for Orca sightings but as with all wildlife they are free to travel and move as they please. It is the last few days for our Bremer Bay Orca Experience and during the last week of any season we can observe the Orca staying in the region for longer or departing earlier than expected. Expanding their foraging range during this time of the year the Orca are mimicking the movements of their prey and its availability as the movement of life in The Patch starts to ebb more frequently. It is why we have our lifetime sighting guarantee on all of our tours to ensure our Pod Members can join us again free of charge at anytime in the future.
